In
April, a group of law professors demanded Blackburn's dismissal, saying
his performance has been "unsatisfactory and that the specific
deficiencies are serious and irremediable."

MSU officials disagreed, saying they were committed to resolving the group's complaints.

Blackburn kept his post, which he has held since 2000.

On
Friday, Blackburn said the conflict with the faculty didn't have a
"direct impact" on his decision to go on leave, but he granted that it
had "added to all the rest of the intense periods" of the past year.

"It's time for me to take a small break," he said, adding that he will use the time for international projects and writing.